Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward protected his club's 1-0 lead in the second period.

Ward stopped a Zach Parise shot at 10:56 and then closed the door on Bobby Holik from the bottom of the right circle at 11:21. Brian Rolston set up Holik's chance.

The Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead at 15:15 of the second period after a delay of game penalty on Parise. Joe Corvo carried the puck into the offensive zone and Devils' defenseman Bryce Salvador was unable to control it as Sergei Samsonov made a pass intended for Tuomo Ruutu.

Just over a minute after the opening faceoff, the Hurricanes dumped the puck into the offensive zone and Devils' defenseman Bryce Salvador lost it at the bottom of the right circle.

Rod Brind'Amour skated in to pick up the loose puck and carried it behind the net for a centering pass that was directed in by Ray Whitney at 1:03. Whitney's shot beat goalie Scott Clemmensen up high.

The Devils and Hurricanes meet for the first time this season at the RBC Center. Here are three things to watch:

1. It's Sutter vs. Sutter. Not on the ice, but the game marks the first time Brent Sutter will coach against son Brandon. Both have said it will be weird and difficult. While Brandon isn't one of Carolina's top players-- at least not yet-- it will be interesting to see if there are any gestures or reactions toward each other. Rest assured TV cameras will catch everything.

2. Paul Maurice's team. Not everyone in Raleigh was thrilled when Paul Maurice took over for Peter Laviolette on Dec. 3. But the Hurricanes are winning, with an 8-4-3 record under Maurice. They were 12-11-2 with Laviolette. And goalie Cam Ward is playing extremely well of late.

3. Jamie Langenbrunner back on track. It looked like coach Brent Sutter might have to consider taking Jamie Langenbrunner off the first line with Zach Parise and Travis Zajac. However, the Devils' captain is playing well lately. He has goals in his last two games and has 2-4-6 in his last five games.

They've resisted so far, but now the NHL is considering playing at least one-- and possibly two-- games on Christmas Day.

No games are currently played on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. However, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly revealed that the league has wanted to play games on the holiday for 10 years.

Now, NHL Players' Association executive director Paul Kelly indicated the players are ready to discuss the matter.

Patrik Elias has been credited with an assist on Jamie Langenbrunner's power play goal at 16:20 of the third period against the Ottawa Senators Sunday.

The season stats for Elias are now 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists).

Goalie Kevin Weekes and defenseman Sheldon Brookbank were the only Devils to take part in Tuesday's morning skate. The coaching staff took part and goalie coach Jacques Caron actually grabbed Weekes' blocker and demonstrated some technique while facing some soft shots from John MacLean.

AP Fie PhotoNew Jersey Devils coach Brent Sutter.

Brent Sutter may have come inches from missing the first NHL game in which he coaches against son Brandon.

Jim Guillory/US PresswireCarolina's Brandon Sutter, right, has a chance to both impress and distress his dad Brent when he takes the ice against the Devils Tuesday night.

Brent Sutter looked reeeaallly uncomfortable as he stood in a hallway in Prudential Center after practice Monday, talking about the prospect of coaching a game against his son, Brandon, when the Devils play the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday night.

"I'm not downplaying it at all,'' Sutter said. "To me, the focus shouldn't be - I want him to be focused on what he has to do. He's living his dream. I lived mine doing the same thing that he's doing right now. As a dad, I want to see him have success and do well, and I just happen now to be coaching against a team he's playing for and an organization he's proud to be part of. It is what it is, I guess. I don't know how to talk about it, because how I'm going to feel and how he's going to feel, neither of us really know, because we've never been there before.''

Dainius Zubrus is okay, first of all. He got the day off again from practice for more "maintenance,'' apparently. Coach Brent Sutter said Zubrus will play Tuesday in Carolina.

I asked Sutter if Zubrus' two-goal performance Sunday, after he didn't skate Saturday, meant Zubrus doesn't need to practice anymore.

"We won't get carried away with that one,'' Sutter said.

Rich is taking an early flight to Raleigh, so I'm filling in. The team is on the ice now, and I count 12 forwards and seven defensemen. One of those 12 forwards, however, is Sheldon Brookbank, wearing a red jersey and skating with Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta. That means Dainius Zubrus, who missed practice Saturday for what he called "maintenance,'' is once again not skating.

I imagine this will be a short one, and of course I'll inquire about the status of Zubrus and D Colin White, who's missed four straight games, but is practicing. Check back later.

Karl B. DeBlaker/Associated PressBrandon Sutter, shown playing against Montreal in November, saw his father over Christmas during a family gathering in Raleigh, N.C.

NOTEBOOK

Brent Sutter has coached his son, Brandon, many times. But he's never coached against him.

That will change Tuesday night when Brent's Devils face Brandon's Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C.

What will it be like for the Devils coach?

"I don't know," Sutter said Sunday. "I haven't been through it. I coached him, obviously, but I never coached against him. I don't know how I'm going to feel. I'm not sure I'm going to like it that much."

For most of this season, Devils coach Brent Sutter has used his first two lines against the top unit on opposing teams. He has avoided repeating the Devils' past practice of using John Madden and Jay Pandolfo as checkers.

But that changed Sunday against Ottawa's top line of Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza.

"I haven't said those guys won't play against other teams' top lines," Sutter said, suppressing a grin. "It was just a feeling."

Tim Farrell/The Star-LedgerThere's something about 5 p.m. starts that seems to appeal to Dainius Zubrus, shown getting high fives from the bench Sunday night after scoring against Ottawa.

Maybe the Devils should give Dainius Zubrus a day off before every game.

After skipping Saturday's practice far what he called "maintenance," Zubrus scored twice in the 4-3 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.

"I don't know if I'd have scored two goals or not, but the treatments I had and the day I spent with the trainer was good," Zubrus said.

He isn't bold enough to push for practice days off.

"I don't expect that luxury," he said.

Chris Kelly snapped a 2-2 tie at 7:14 of the third period as the Ottawa Senators took the lead over the Devils.

Antoine Vermette's centering pass found Kelly in the slot and he scored from below the left hash marks.

The go-ahead goal came 28 seconds after the Devils killed off a Dainius Zubrus penalty.

Johnny Oduya's shot at 9:45 was tipped just wide by Jamie Langenbrunner.

Again it was a penalty that hurt the Devils, who fell behind early in the second period after defenseman Andy Greene held the stick of Dean McAmmond.

Jason Spezza centered a pass off defenseman Bryce Salvador's skate and the puck went across the top of the crease to Brendan Bell in the right circle. Bell beat goalie Scott Clemmensen at 3:50 as Ottawa took a 2-1 lead.

Dainius Zubrus took a hooking penalty against Dany Heatley 15 seconds into the game and it cost the Devils.

Nick Foligno took a pass from Antoine Vermette and jammed a shot past goalie Scott Clemmensen from the right side of the crease at 2:10. The power-play goal came with only six seconds remaining in the Zubrus penalty.

Senators right winger Chris Neil hurt his own teammate at the 9:39 mark of the first when he leaped to hit Andy Greene and went over the top of the Devils defenseman. Instead, Neil KO'd Foligno, who remained down on the ice with a bloody nose while Neil and David Clarkson fought.

With a 5 p.m. start on Sunday, the Devils did not have a morning skate. Coach Brent Sutter spoke briefly to the media a while ago and said he would not make any changes if the Ottawa Senators kept their reunited line of Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza together.

"Obviously you have to be aware of the three of them on the ice together," Sutter said. "I still have a lot of confidence in certain lines playing against those guys and will continue (to have confidence)."

Also, Dainius Zubrus said he feels fine after not skating Saturday.

The Devils and Ottawa Senators meet for the second time this season Sunday at the Prudential Center. The Devils won the previous meeting, 5-1, on Dec. 19. Three things to look for:

1. Senators ripe for the picking. They lost to the Maple Leafs Saturday and are playing on back-to-back days. Ottawa has also lost four of the last five games and six of eight. The Sens are a team the Devils must beat.

2. Zach Parise on another streak? He never cools off for long, but Parise now has four goals in his last four games and may be ready to put together another impressive scoring streak.

3. Is Dainius Zubrus healthy? The second-line center missed Saturday's practice because of what he called maintenance. He will play against the Senators but is he banged up?

One final reminder: The Devils will hold their annual coat drive before Sunday's 5 p.m. game with the Ottawa Senators at Prudential Center.

There will be volunteers from Jersey Cares at the two tower entrances, the Lafayette St. entrance, the VIP entrance and the parking garage entrance. Wives and girlfriends of Devils players will also be on hand.

Fans who make a donation will be eligible to win autographed Devils memorabilia.

With the 5 p.m. start, the Devils do not have a morning skate on Sunday.

Colin White practiced but coach Brent Sutter said the big defenseman, who has missed three games with an upper body injury, will not play Sunday when the Devils host the Otttawa Senators at 5 p.m. at Prudential Center.

"It's still a day-to-day thing,'' Sutter said.

Everyone on the team practiced except center Dainius Zubrus, but Sutter said Zubrus will play.

"Just a day off here,'' Sutter said of Zubrus, who centers the second line and has eight goals and 13 assists with a plus-10 rating.

After Brent Sutter challenged his team to play better, they responded with a 4-1 victory over Montreal that made the coach happy. Devils beat writer Rich Chere takes a look back and analyzes the victory.

1. Nice bounce back game for Clemmenson, team after less-than-stellar effort in Dallas. Anything you can point to - or do they just have the Canadiens number?

Rich Chere: They've beaten the Canadiens twice this season, but there should be an asterisk after this one. The Habs were missing their No. 1 goalie (Carey Price) and captain (Saku Koivu), as well as several other key players. But that's the way it goes.

"Hey, we went through it," Devils' coach Brent Sutter said. "You take certain guys out of the lineup and it changes the dynamics of a team. I don't think anybody was feeling sorry for us when we went through it. Injuries are part of the game."

Okay, the Montreal Canadiens didn't have some key players in their lineup, including their captain and No. 1 goalie.

But that doesn't mean Devils goalie Scott Clemmensen didn't cherish Friday night's 4-1 win over the Habs.

"It's more rewarding to beat the teams that you respect more," Clemmensen said. "It was a tough game. It was a 2-0 game because it was a two-goal lead, which is very deceiving in this sport. We had a very difficult time getting that fourth goal, even though we did eventually. If they get that second goal, it makes it a one-goal game and the complexion of the game changes a lot.

"A 4-1 final score I don't think was very indicative of the type of game it was tonight."

Yep, even a Mad Dog smiles once in a while.

John Madden scored his first goal in 25 games Friday night and was beaming afterwards, although he insisted the second-longest drought of his NHL career wasn't weighing on him.

"Actually it wasn't," he said. "Scoring goals is something everyone loves to do. But at the same time it's not primarily my job. I love doing it. I scored 20 in my career several times and I feel I can still do that.

"The point is I started feeling really good about my game and I had an ankle injury and was out for three games. I couldn't work out and couldn't do anything. I came back from that and started getting my legs again and got a little bit of the flu. I couldn't do anything again. When I came back from that I felt I was starting to get my legs and game back again so I cam help the hockey club."

After Jaroslav Halak allowed three goal on 22 shots in the first two periods against the Devils, coach Guy Carbonneau made a change at the start of the third when he inserted Marc Denis in goal.

Travis Zajac hit the post 30 seconds into the period.

Brian Gionta almost scored his second goal of the game at 1:27 of the second period, but Montreal goalie Jaroslav Halak made a pad save on a shot from the left circle.

Canadiens winger Guillaume Latendresse went off after being struck in the face by a puck when a shot from teammate Tom Kostopoulos was deflected.

John Madden snapped the second-longest goal-scoring drought of his NHL career when he scored at 11:11 of the second period. Madden took a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Halak over his left shoulder.

There is a large contingent of Canadiens fans in the Prudential Center for the game. Most of them are upstairs but are making their presence felt and heard with chants of "Let's Go Habs."

The Devils avoided falling behind early when Tomas Plekanec backhanded a soft shot in from outside the blue line. Goalie Scott Clemmensen nearly mishandled the bouncing puck, but managed to hold on.

The Canadiens are playing without No. 1 goalie Carey Price, who has a lower body injury, captain Saku Koivu (ankle), Alex Tanguay (separated left shoulder), Christopher Higgins (shoulder) and Georges Laraque (groin).

The Devils and Canadiens meet for the second of four times this season. The Devils won, 2-1, in overtime on Dec. 6 in Montreal. Three things to watch:

1. Scott Clemmensen starts his 10th straight game for the Devils. That's a long stretch for anyone, especially someone who went months between starts in the past.

"It's something that I haven't had a lot of experience with, even at the minor league level," Clemmensen said. "In the minors you're playing four games in five nights and three in three, so it's actually a little better here on your body physically. The travel is a lot easier up here, so it makes a big difference. But it's challenging. It's mentally challenging and physically challenging as well. But for me, I had a loss in the last game, so I really want to get back at it."

Rich Schultz/Associated PressColin White will miss his third straight game with an upper body injury when the Devils play the Montreal Canadiens in Newark Friday.

White, sidelined with what the team is calling an upper body injury, did not take part in the team's morning skate.

"I'm feeling better. I had a couple of days to rest," White said. "There isn't any (timetable). It doesn't seem to be anything major. I don't want it to drag on. I want to get back as soon as possible. Obviously I'm not there yet."

A lot of people are asking for an update about Mike "Doc" Emrick's laryngitis.

Emrick missed the Winter Classic in Chicago and will not call the Devils-Canadiens game Friday night at the Prudential Center. According to Chico Resch, Emrick wasn't scheduled to work that game.

However, it is not yet known whether Emrick will be well enough to work Sunday's 5 p.m. game against the Ottawa Senators. Our best wishes for a quick recovery to the Hall of Fame broadcaster,

Devils coach Brent Sutter wasn't happy with the way his team played in a 4-2 New Year's Eve loss to the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center, but he gave his players New Year's Day off.

They're back on the ice Friday morning and then host the Montreal Canadiens at the Prudential Center Friday night.

Sutter did have good things to say about one player's performance Wednesday night.

"I'd say our goalie (Scott Clemmensen) kept us in the game," the coach noted.

The Devils' dressing room door remained closed for some time after the Devils' loss to the Dallas Stars. Coach Brent Sutter had a few words for his players.

"Oh, yeah. Not that we needed to have someone tell us, but it was pointed out to us specifically," goalie Scott Clemmensen said.

Sutter said the second period, in which the Devils allowed two goals, may have been their worst period of the season.

Mike Rupp wanted to fight Dallas Stars forward Steve Ott. After the two exchanged hits during the second period, Rupp gave Ott two shots to his neck area.

But Ott, who broke his right hand in a fight this season, refused to drop his gloves.

Rupp said Ott had taunted the Devils' bench earlier in the match.

"When you're calling to the other team's bench, I think you need to step up to the plate," Rupp said. "He clearly has no interest in doing that. He made a little signal after he ran around for a shift.

"That's how he is. He's been like that forever. Unfortunately, there's a lot of guys like that in the league now. It's a shame. He just runs his mouth."

Ott claimed he is an even more effective agitator since he has stopped fighting because of the broken hand he suffered Nov. 22 against the Ducks.

"My game isn't going to change one bit," Ott said. "Maybe I'm even more effective this way because I can't fight."

Ott went for a big hit on Rupp with 9:22 left in the game, but the Devils' forward dodged him.

"He clipped me," Rupp said, "but there wasn't much impact."

Dainius Zubrus nearly gave the Devils a 3-1 lead at 1:03 of the second period when he had a poke at the rebound on a Brian Gionta shot. However, goalie Marty Turco made the stop.

Then, at 5:39, the Stars evened the score at 2-2. Mike Ribeiro won the puck along the end boards in a battle with John Madden. After feeding Krystofer Barch, Ribeiro got the puck back and centered a pass for Landon Wilson in front. Wilson's goal was his second of the season.

Scott Clemmensen, making his ninth consecutive start in goal fort he Devils, closed the door on an early chance by the Dallas Stars. Brad Richards tried to wrap the puck around the right post at 3:50 and Clemmensen squeezed the post for the save.

A Mike Modano tripping penalty at 4:03 gave the Devils a power play, but they were unable to convert. They came very close when Brian Rolston's slap shot from the left point hit the right post.

Marty Turco is in goal for Dallas.

Scott Clemmensen will start his ninth straight game in goal for the Devils Wednesday night against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center.

"I thought he played well and there is no reason to change," coach Brent Sutter said.

Clemmensen won his 13th game of the season by making 28 saves in St. Louis Tuesday night before a large contingent of family and friends.

The Devils and Dallas Stars last met on Oct. 22 at the Prudential Center. The Devils, with Martin Brodeur in goal, won that game, 5-0. They get together for a New Year's Eve bash. Three things to look for:

1. Will John Madden score a goal? He's gone 23 straight games without scoring a goal, the second-longest drought of his NHL career. His last goal? He scored two on Oct. 22 against the Stars.

2. Does Kevin Weekes finally get a start in goal for the Devils? His last start was Dec. 13 agains the Buffalo Sabres. Scott Clemmensen started the last eight games, including Tuesday night's 4-3 win in St. Louis. Coach Brent Sutter said he planned to make the decision on the team's charter flight from St. Louis to Dallas.

3. A big game from Patrik Elias? He wasn't happy with his own performance in St. Louis and said so. The left winger has had a sensational season so far and is likely to bounce back strong.

Mike "Doc" Emrick, the TV voice of the Devils, will be unable to call Thursday's NHL Winter Classic because of laryngitis.

Dave Strader, the play-by-play man for the Phoenix Coyotes, will fill in for Emrick. The game, between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, will be played at Wrigley Field and televised by NBC at 1 p.m. Thursday.

"Last year's game was a lifetime memory and I couldn't wait to call this year's game at Wrigley," Emrick, a Hall of Famer, said. "I'm extremely disappointed but I know Dave will do a wonderful job."

Brutally honest, Devils' left winger Patrik Elias said he played poorly Tuesday night in St. Louis.

After a postgame chat with coach Brent Sutter in the visitors' dressing room at the Scottrade Center, Elias said: "It wasn't a real good game from me. I just didn't feel good. In the first two periods I wasn't good."

But he was happy nonetheless.

DesMoines, Iowa, is close enough to St. Louis that Scott Clemmensen's parents didn't want to pass up the opportunity to see their son play goal for the Devils in person.

They were not disappointed.

Clemmensen stopped 28 of 31 shots at the Scottrade Center Tuesday night in a 4-3 victory over the Blues. In the crowd were both parents, Clemmensen's brother, wife and family, his high school hockey coach and family, cousins who live in St. Louis and his former goalie coach from DesMoines.

Brian Rolston's goal after 2:37 of the second period tied the game for the Devils.

David Clarkson carried the puck from the end boards and tried to sweep a shot on net. Rolston picked up the loose puck and scored on goalie Manny Legace's glove side with a backhander. It was his fifth goal.

Coach Brent Sutter is now using the defense pairing of Bryce Salvador and Mike Mottau. Andy Greene and Jay Leach are together.

Bryce Salvador, playing his first game in St. Louis since last February's deadline trade to the Devils, received cheers from the Scottrade Center crowd when the starting lineups were announced before the teams came onto the ice.

Patrik Elias, Dainius Zubrus and Brian Gionta were the Devils' starting forward line.

Zach Parise scored an unassisted goal at 1:02 of the first period as the Blues lost the puck at their own blue line. Parise's shot from the left circle, the first of the game for the Devils, went through Manny Legace's legs and was his 20th goal of the season.

Good news for the Devils: Injured goalie Martin Brodeur began working out off the ice on Tuesday.

"General stuff," general manager Lou Lamoriello said of Brodeur. "All off-ice."

Brodeur, who had surgery two months ago to re-attach a torn tendon in his left arm suffered on Nov. 1, is expected to be back in mid-March. However, as Devils coach Brent Sutter pointed out recently, Brodeur's rehab is going smoothly and he could be back some time in February.

* * *

The Devils and Blues face each other for the first time since Jan. 10, 2007, at the Meadowlands. The Devils lost that game, 3-2. Three things to watch Tuesday night:

1. Cam Janssen against his former team. The Blues' right winger has nothing but praise for Devils' GM Lou Lamoriello for trading him to his hometown team and he still has close friends in New Jersey. But it's only natural to want to make an impression.

2. Bryce Salvador back in the Devils' lineup. Colin White is out with an upper body injury, which makes Salvador's return very important. But he's been out for a while with an inner ear infection and this is his first game back in St. Louis. How will he handle it all?

3. A Devils letdown? The last time the Devils beat the Rangers on Dec. 12, they lost the next two games. They are coming off Saturday night's victory at the Garden. That was an emotional game. These two games in St. Louis and Dallas, against Western Conference clubs they rarely see, doesn't have the same buzz.

Devils coach Brent Sutter made Tuesday's morning skate at the Scottrade Center optional, and few players are choosing to participate.

Bryce Salvador chatted briefly with some Blues personnel near the home team's bench.

Those skating are Bobby Holik, David Clarkson, Mike Rupp, Patrik Elias, Sheldon Brookbank, Kevin Weekes and Salvador.

When they arrived at the Scottrade Center Tuesday for their morning skate, most of the Devils and coach Brent Sutter headed for the visitors' bench to watch the St. Louis Blues work out.

Just before the Blues began their skate, Cam Janssen skated over to chat with his former teammates.

"This is kind of bizarre, being in this situation, to tell you the truth," Janssen said later. "I miss the guys. You know what I miss? I miss the food in New Jersey. I miss going to Madison Square Garden to play. Our Madison Square Garden here is Chicago."

Claude Lemieux signed a contract with the San Jose Sharks Monday after spending the past month with their top minor-league affiliate, giving another boost to his NHL comeback hopes.

The 43-year-old Lemieux signed with the Worcester Sharks on Nov. 25 after a five-year absence from pro hockey. The four-time Stanley Cup winner's new contract is a two-way deal, allowing him to play in San Jose or Worcester.

The Star-Ledger's Rich Chere profiled Lemieux's attempted comeback earlier this month.

Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerDevils goaltender Scott Clemmensen saves a shot from the Bruins' Michael Ryder last week.

In case anyone had any question whether Scott Clemmensen is Brent Sutter's definite No. 1 goaltender, the Devils' coach left no doubt about it when asked after Monday's practice if he might split the back-to-back games in St. Louis and Dallas Tuesday and Wednesday between Clemmensen and Kevin Weekes.

"I don't know. I don't know that,'' Sutter said. "We'll get through (Tuesday) night, see how Clemmer gets through it, and then we'll decide, going into Dallas, what we're going to do.''

So, not only is Sutter leaving the possibility open he might play one goalie in back-to-back games, but the coach doesn't even bother trying to hide the fact he's starting Clemmensen Tuesday night. When did Sutter start giving away the identity of his starting goalie the day before a game?

Bill Kostroun/Associated PressThe Devils will be without the services of defenseman Colin White for Tuesday's game in St. Louis. White has an upper body injury suffered against the Rangers.

Devils coach Brent Sutter said White suffered the injury in the Devils' last game, Saturday night against the Rangers, and the coach said White would not make the trip to St. Louis "unless he joins us along the way.'' The Devils go straight from St. Louis Tuesday to Dallas, where they play the Stars Wednesday.

The good news is Bryce Salvador, who had missed five games with what the team said was an inner ear infection, returned to practice and will step into the lineup in White's place. Monday, Salvador partnered with Jay Leach and seventh defenseman Sheldon Brookbank during the practice. Salvador said his hearing has not returned 100 percent, but the problem is "solving'' itself, his balance is back, and he is cleared to play.

Greetings readers. Colin here, back after a week off and filling in for Rich. Hope all had a good Holiday season. The Devils are on the ice now and the good news is that defenseman Bryce Salvador is out there practicing. However, I just noticed Colin White is not on the ice. I'll have to investigate what that's all about. Salvador, who missed five games with an inner ear infection, seems to be going full speed and looks good and I don't see any reason why he wouldn't be a go for tomorrow's game in St. Louis -- which would be Salvador's first game back there since he was traded to the Devils from the Blues last March for Cam Janssen.

As soon as I hear anything about White, I'll post again.

Scott Lituchy/The Star-LedgerTravis Zajac celebrates his goal against the Rangers in the second period of the Devils' 4-2 victory Saturday night.

The Devils are closing the gap on the first-place Rangers in the Atlantic Division. Once worried about staying in the race as a rash of injuries took their toll, the Devils are now confident they belong among the conference's top teams.

Brent Sutter's squad has faced significant challenges along the way and successfully handled almost all of them. The Devils, who have won four of their last six and 13 of 18, trail the Rangers by four points and the Flyers by two, and are one point ahead of the Penguins.

"I think it has something to do with leadership and something to do with character in your room," said Sutter, who gave his players a day off Sunday, said of his team's rise. "It's a very confident mind-set in the dressing room. It's been there since Day One of training camp. Guys have worked and played hard and paid attention to what is put in place.

Coming off their big victory over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, the Devils were given a day off on Sunday. They will be back on the ice Monday afternoon before flying to St. Louis.

A few things as they prepare for back-to-back games in St. Louis and Dallas:

The Devils are 20-11-3 for 43 points. At the same point last season they were 18-13-3 for 39 points.

Scott Lituchy/The Star-LedgerJay Pandolfo works in front of the Rangers' net Saturday.

Who's better: Rangers or Devils?

Who's more important: Rolston or Zajac?

We asked Star-Ledger beat writer Rich Chere this and more.

1. Gotta start here: Is there any question that the Devils are better than the Rangers now?

Right this minute? No. Rangers coach Tom Renney said his club is playing brain dead hockey. But over the long haul this promises to be a tight race between the two rivals.

The drought is over. The Devils are scoring goals again.

Before the game coach Brent Sutter told me he wasn't "putting any heat on the players" about going seven periods without scoring a goal. That was a team record.

"We just talked about little things in the offensive zone you have to continue to focus on," Sutter said after the 4-2 win. "You have to continue to shoot the puck. Put pucks on net."

Goalie Scott Clemmensen protected a 2-1 lead early in the second period when he stopped a Nigel Dawes shot at 7:20.

Five minutes earlier, Henrik Lundqvist closed the door on a Brian Rolston tip at the right post.

Lundqvist made a save on Bobby Holik's shot at 8:36. The rebound popped into the air but was cleared before either Travis Zajac or Zach Parise could get to it.